1999 Lincoln Cars

Ford's luxury marque has emerged from a turbulent quarter-century with a stronger vehicle lineup and more differentiation from the Ford brand than in decades. In the Twenties, it wasn’t hard to tell a Lincoln: the 1922 Town Car was one of the most famous custom-built cars to date. Built for Henry Ford himself, Town Car derived its name from its body styling, which featured an open chauffeur’s compartment and enclosed passenger compartment, elevating the vehicle to a bona fide status symbol. Thomas Edison, W.C. Fields and Herbert Hoover were among the rich and famous who ratified the prestige of owning a Lincoln. In the Thirties, the Lincoln Zephyr became one of the first extremely aerodynamic vehicles. The Continental was introduced then as well, and it became known not only for its distinctive rear-bumper spare-tire mount but also as "the car of presidents"; custom-built Continental limousines carried presidents for decades, including John F. Kennedy when he was assassinated in 1963. After a spurt of downsizing in the Sixties, Lincolns became massive again in the Seventies. The next 20 years brought some confusion as Lincoln sought to compete not only with Cadillac but also a spate of European and Japanese invaders. But with new models including MKS and MKZ, Lincoln has re-established itself as an important part of Ford’s new success story.